What dog for running

[chris316]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

Hi, I really want to get a dog but have a few considerations to take into account. I want something I can run with every day,that doesn't shed or smell too much and that can be left alone when I'm at work. Ideally not too big.
Any ideas?

 

[JudyN]

How far would you want to run, and how many times a week? Where do you tend to run - pavements, grasslands, rough surfaces?

Also, how long would you expect to leave the dog for when you are at work? Many authorities recommend that dogs are only left for up to 4 hours at a time, though some dogs seem happy with longer than this. One solution is to have a dog walker/sitter to come in once a day to break it up and give the dog an opportunity to toilet.

 

[chris316]

I'd say between 5k and 10k, 4 times a week. Mostly pavement or along the canal. I can get family to help with toilet breaks

 

[JoanneF]

Is off lead important? What are your thoughts on grooming? Do you want an easy to train dog or one with a ”why should I?” attitude? Independent or handler focused?

Also, I suggest this to a lot of people in your situation.

For the next month, act like you have an adult dog. Get up an hour earlier than normal, take an hour long walk. Do the same in the evening after work - and come straight home from work; no shopping, gym, socialising. Do this every day, without fail, regardless of the weather.

Be aware of the season, and remind yourself every morning that for several months of the year you will be doing this in the cold and dark.
Also put away what you think a dog will cost for food, insurance, vet bill excesses, toys etc, then add 10% because we always underestimate these things.

That will give you a good insight into some of the commitment you will need to make.
Don't think about what a dog will bring to your family, think about what your family can offer to a dog.

 

[Flobo]

Whatever dog you may choose to run with you, you will have to build them up to the distances you're running, not just for stamina(lots of dogs have that) but training to run to your rhythm, to toilet before you start running and to focus on you whilst you are running. There are a lot of distractions for a dog on a pavement or along a canal path. I do get fed up seeing people run or jog 'with' their dogs but have no actual awareness of what their dog is doing or their needs. (I'm not saying you will be like this btw, but I do see it an awful lot!)

 

[JudyN]

I'd also add that 'just' running, though it will fulfill your dog's exercise needs, won't be that enriching for the dog - it's really important to let it have time to sniff around, follow squirrel trails, and generally mooch around.

Were you thinking of a puppy or an adult dog? A youngster would probably need to be around 18 months old before they could run those sorts of distances, particularly a larger breed.

I had a look online for what dogs are recommended as running companions. These could be worth a look, but be wary - several mentioned greyhounds, but greyhounds generally have rubbish stamina, and hard surfaces can be problematic for them as they can suffer from corns.

 

[Hemlock]

A terrier would suit your needs well, BUT they need a lot of other stimulus and interaction at home too. And as has been said - the dog would need plenty-of-sniffing walks too outside the running sessions.